Is it just a coincidence? (Sokka x Zuko) [COMPLETED]

Chapter Eleven

    Neither of them got any sleep. Sokka decided to just avoid Lee that day and skipped biology, emailing the teacher and claiming a stomach ache. He knew it was childish but he just couldn't face Lee. The last thing he wanted was to break down in front of him.

    Feeling rather pathetic, Sokka sat in the cafe across the street from the school, angling his chair away from the entrance just in case. Goddamn it. Was this going to ruin his relationship with Lee? Why couldn't he just face him instead of sipping on a latte like a coward?

    He flicked a crumb off the table, it disappeared over the edge. The urge to check his phone out of boredom rose up again and this time he caved in. Pulling it out of his pocket he checked the screen for notifications.

    Nothing.

    Kinda deserve that though... He thought to himself, opening it up and starting to play a game on it. A few minutes in and he heard the faint chime of the bell, signalling lunch time. Glancing out the window, a flurry of students left the building to get lunch elsewhere.

    His phone buzzed, drawing his attention back to the screen, a message from Katara.

K: "where are you?"

    Stifling a sigh, he considered lying. Nah, even over text Katara could tell if he was telling the truth or not.

S: "cafe across the street"
S: "why?"

K: "just wondering"

    There was a pause. He thought she was done.

K: "why aren't you with Lee?"

S: "don't feel like it"

    She didn't reply. He went back to playing his game. Another bit of time passed and someone sat down across from him. He looked up, meeting the state of Katara. She set her bag down and then turned to him again.

    "Hi?" He said awkwardly, tucking his phone back into his pocket.

    "What's wrong?" She asked immediately, folding her hands on the table.

    "What do you mean?"

    "This," She pulled out her phone and showed him the text he'd just sent her. "I call bullshit. You have never not wanted to hang out with people. You're the most social person I know. What's going on?"

    "Nothing! I just..." Sokka huffed, looking away.

    "Did he do something to you? What was it? I'll kick his ass." Katara threatened.

    "It's nothing! He didn't do anything wrong," Sokka grabbed her hand. "I just... Got my hopes up."

    "Got your..?" She examined his expression. "Wait, did you think that he was...?"

    "Yeah... And he probably is but," Another sigh left Sokka's mouth. "He's not interested."

    "Did you ask why?"

    "No... I didn't want to pry. I didn't want him to hate me."

    Katara patted her brother's hand.

    "I'm sorry, Sokka. I know all you wanted was for this to work out," She paused. "But I mean, he can't stay uninterested forever, right? I wouldn't lose hope quite yet."

    "Thanks, Katara." He smiled softly, feeling a little better.

_

    Maybe it was just him overthinking... But was Sokka avoiding him? He'd thought that the whole soulmate thing had been settled, but maybe it wasn't... Not everyone was like him after all. Not everyone could just will themselves to forget things, or at the least push them to the back of his mind. He'd done it a million times. There were so many things that he wanted to forget about.

    Burying his face in his folded arms across the desktop, he sighed. For a minute he thought about Jet. What even happened to that guy? He hadn't seen him either. Was everybody avoiding him?

    Wasn't that what he wanted? To sink into the sidelines, go unnoticed, get out of here? Yeah. Leave and never come back, that was his plan. The fleeting image of those icy blue eyes flashed in his mind. 

    Did he have to think about it? Why'd that waitress have to bring it up anyways. If that didn't happen then maybe he'd be sitting with Sokka right now. Talking about things that didn't really matter. But at least they'd be together. Did he want this? To be with Sokka in that way? 

    No. He couldn't. And he wouldn't.

3 weeks later...

    "Seriously, I'm telling you. Walk through that secret door and you'll find the chest." Sokka instructed, pointing at Aang's phone screen. 

    "Are you sure? I think I've gone through this door. There's just a bunch of booby traps." Aang protested.

    "Just do it." Sokka grumbled.

    Aang walked his character through and was immediately trapped in a cage. A red inscription reading "game over" labelled on the screen.

    "Sokka!" Aang groaned. "I told you there was a booby trap. You made me booby right into it!"

    Sokka laughed, turning back to his half eaten sandwich. However, he was drawn to look up from it by a lingering stare. Katara. She had her arms folded across her chest as she stared at him.

    "What?" 

    "Well? Did you talk to him yet?" She once again got straight to the point.

    "He doesn't want anything to do with me, Katara." Sokka sighed, throwing his sandwich back down, losing his appetite.

    "How do you know?" She prompted.

    "He hasn't messaged me, he avoids eye contact with me, he physically moves himself away from me whenever he seems to feel the need, do I need to go on?" Sokka listed.

    "Have you considered messaging him first? Maybe he thinks you're mad at him. He doesn't seem to be the most confrontational person." 

    Sokka paused. She had a point. Lee hadn't stood up to Jet, he didn't stand up for himself in the principal's office, and he hadn't said anything about the whole avoiding thing either. With a sigh, he stood up and turned around to where Lee usually sat under the tree and started walking towards him.

    "Good luck, buddy!" Aang called, focusing on his game.

    "Thanks." Sokka grumbled back. 

    Zuko was reading his book. He'd taped the ripped out piece back in but looking at it still made him rather agitated. A presence beside him made him look up. Blue eyes looked back at him, freezing his thoughts. Sokka took in a breath, sitting beside him, he looked down and then back at Zuko again.

    "I'm sorry," He started. "I've been a jerk and I've avoided you and that's on me. But I like hanging out with you and I like being your friend, so. Can you forgive me?"

    Zuko stared dumbfoundedly at him. That was not what he'd been expecting at all. Sokka stared at him, waiting for an answer.

    "Yeah," Was all he could mutter. "I understand..."

    Giving him a small smile, Sokka turned away again, staring out at the courtyard scenery. Zuko watched his expression. Normally he was so happy and excited. But now he looked so sad. The sparkle in his eyes had gone dim and his dimples were invisible. Zuko didn't like it.

    "Hey um... I figure... I should probably give you an explanation as to why I..." Zuko trailed off.

    "You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to." Sokka mumbled.

    "It's not fair to you though!" Suddenly Zuko had some volume to his voice, catching Sokka's attention. "You always share things with me and explain stuff I don't understand. I haven't told you anything really about myself and it's not fair. You deserve to know at least this much."

    "Okay..." Sokka uttered. "Shoot, I guess."